Obituaries: Samuel Howard Aller

  • by BAR staff
  • Wednesday July 11, 2018
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December 23, 1936 - March 11, 2018

A memorial service for Samuel Howard Aller will be held Saturday, July 14, at 4 p.m., at St. Francis Lutheran Church, 152 Church Street in San Francisco.

Sam was born December 23, 1936 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Evelyn and Sam Aller and was raised Lutheran. He died March 11, 2018.

Sam moved to New York in 1959 then relocated to the Castro in 1975, where he lived at 25 States Street until his death.

Sam's passions included the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II and opera, especially Wagner. He was a member of the Wagner Society of Northern California. His entire Wagner collection was donated to the society to be appreciated anew by other "Wagnerites." Sam also loved trains and streetcars.

Sam was a good friend, fun and funny, thoughtful, and generous; he enjoyed quality time with friends over cocktails, meals, and tea. He liked things to be just right ... "spiff."

Sam was beloved and is still missed by many, including his neighbors at 25 States Street who became lifelong friends; his church family; his nieces and nephews Deborah Kaplan, Carol Issacs Hussian, Mark and Jon Heck, Claire and Bill Finn Jr., and their families; and his sister-in-law, Dorothy Finn.